Testing-plug for sewer-traps.



J. P. GHRISTY. TESTING PLUG FOR SEWER TRAPS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9. 1909.

' E a v a H WTL W ATTORNEY ANDREW, s.- mmuu co mwo-pwnocupnias.WABMINGTDN u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

JOHN F. CHRISTY, OF SHERIDAN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TESTING-PLUG FOB SEJVER-TRAPS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. CHRisTY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sheridan, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements inTesting-Plugs for SewerTraps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to plugs for closing sewer traps during the testingof the wastepipe connections.

It is the object of my invention to provide a plug for use in standardtraps having a clean-out opening of smaller diameter than the diameterof the trap below the inlet to the trap. In such a trap it is obviouslyimpossible to insert ordinary closures through the clean-out opening.

Various devices such as cement, inflated bags, and expanders, have beenused to prevent the passage of water through traps while the waste-pipeswere under test. I have avoided the faults incident to such devices byutilizing the differential of pressure on two closures to prevent thetesting fluid from escaping through the clean-out or the regular trapoutlet. At the same time, I provide for the discharge of the testingfluid through the regular trap-outlet by a mere adjustment of my device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative of onlyone form of my invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through atrap, in which my invention is shown in elevation, the parts being inthe position for making a test of the wastepipes; Fig. 2, a view similarto Fig. 1, but with my invention adjusted to discharge the testingfluid; Fig. 8, a similar view showing the manner in which the parts ofmy invention are assembled; Fig. 4L, an enlarged vertical section of myinvention with the upper end of the stem broken off; Fig. 5, aperspective of the hinged washer which sup ports the lower plug orpacking; Fig. 6, a section of the stem showing in full lines a lock inoperative position and in dotted, the same in released position; andFig. 7, a perspective of one of the locks.

On the drawings, 1 represents a trap having the outlet 2, the inlet 3,the vent 4., and the clean-out 5, the vent 4 being shown closed by theplug 6, which with the vent forms no part of my invention. The cleanout5 is shown as having a smaller diameter than the trap has at the point'7 just below Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 28, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Serial No. 455,016.

the lower edge of the inlet 3 and above the upper sharp bend 8.

I provide the preferably bell-shaped support 9 having an annularhorizontal flange 10 at its lower end, the body portion taperingupwardly from the flange to the top where it is provided with the hook11.

12 is the washer made in two sections hinged at diametrically oppositesides. This washer in use sits on the flange 10 and forms a seat orsupport for the packing ring 13, which has its upper side cup-shaped,the outer flange 14 tapering upwardly and flaring slightly as shown inFig. l. An upwardly extending tapering flange 15 surrounds the centerhole in the packing ring and flares slightly inwardly to make a closefit with the body of the support 9.

The rod 16 is detachably connected at its lower end to the hook 11 andhas at its upper end the handle 17. The valve or plug 18 is slidable onthe rod 16 and carries the annular packing or gasket 19 which tapersdownwardly and is of such a size as to form a closure at the mouth ofthe cleanout 5. The packing 19 is preferably retained on the plug 18 bymeans of the shoulders or flanges 20 and 21 at its opposite edges. Theupper portion of the plug 18 preferably tapers upwardly and has at itstop a de pression to receive the annular packing 22 which is sleeved onthe rod 16 and prevents the passage of the testing fluid from theinterior of the plug. The washer 23 is slidable on the rod 16 and lieson the top of the packing 22.

On Figs. 6 and 7, I show one of the locks for holding the packings orplugs 9 and 18 at certain distances apart. I preferably have two ofthese locks, an upper one 2 1 and a lower one 25. As both locks areconstructed alike only one need be described. The lock 25 has near oneedge the hole 26 of such shape and size as to permit the lock to slideeasily on the rod. The hole 26 has an extension or slot 27 somewhatnarrower than the hole 26 so that the lock may he slid lengthwisewhenever the slot 27 is opposite any pair of the notches 28 in the rod.Fig.

6 shows in full lines the rod 16 with the slot 27 embracing it at a pairof notches 28.

In order to make a test of the waste-pipes connected to the trap 1, theplumber slides the locks 24 and 25, the washer 23, the packing 22, theplug 18, the packing 13, and the hinged washer to the upper end of therod llt 16. He then lowers the support 9 through the clean-out 5 toabout the position shown in Fig. 3; doubles the washer 12 back on itshinges and slides it endwise along the rod till it is past the clean-out5 when it is allowed to slide over the tapering body 9 and seat itselfon the flange 10, the hinge being cut away near the central hole topermit the washer to lie flat on the flange 10; doubles the packing sothat it will enter the clean-out 5 and pushes it down to its seat on thewasher 12; lowers the plug 18 until it sits on the shoulder within thebell of the clean-out, as shown in Fig. 1; slides the packing 22 downinto its seat on the top of the plug 18 with the washer 23 on the top ofthe same; brings the slot 27 of the lock 25 into line-with a pair ofnotches 28 and pushes the lock endwise so as to connect the rod and thelock rigidly together; and connects the lock 24: to the rod 16 at such apair of notches that, if the lock 25 be released and the rod 16 sliddown until the lock 24 rests on the lock 25, the packing 13 would openthe outlet beneath the bend 8 in the trap, as shown in Fig. 2. The rod16 can be raised or lowered slightly so as to bring a proper pair ofnotches 28 just above the washer 23, the notches being so close togetherthat there will be no danger of raising the packing above the lower sideof the inlet 3 or of lowering the same below the bend 8. If thewaste-pipes be filled with water, the parts of my invention being asshown in Fig. 1, the washer 13 will, because its area is greater thanthe area of the plug 18 exposed to pressure, pull the valve or plug 18tight on its seat. The pressure, of the water will expand the flanges14: and 15 so as to prevent the passage of water beyond them and willalso pull the packing 22 tight on its seat. After the test of thewaste-pipes has been completed, the plumber drives the lock 25 so thatthe hole 26 is in line with the rod, whereupon the pressure of the wateron the packing ring 18 forces the latter down until the lock 24 rests onthe lock 25 as seen in Fig; 2, which shows the packing ring below thebend 8. The arrow 29 shows the space where the water escapes and itsdirection of flow. If the lock 24 had not been provided at the properplace, it is possible that the support 9 might by reason of tilting inthe bottom of the trap and by reason of the strong flow of the water,cause the hook 11 to be disconnected from the rod 16, in which case thesupport 9 with the washer 12 and the packing ring 18 would be swept inthe sewer.

By making the washer 12 hinged or otherwise in sections, I am able topass through the clean-out 5 a washer having a greater diameter whenstraightened or assembled than'the clean-out. By making the packingseparate from the support 9, I can also pass it by pinching it togetherthrough the small clean-out opening into the larger trap passage at thepoint 7. The locks 24 and 25 are stops and may be replaced by variousmeans.

Other changes may be made in my invention without departing from thespirit of the same.

I claim 1. For plugging the clean-out and the outlet of sewer traps atopposite sides of the inlet, where the clean-out is smaller than theoutlet, a plug having a foldable elastic cup-washer adapted to fittheinterior ofthe said outlet, a plug adapted to close the cleanout by amovement toward the said outlet, and means connecting the said plugstogether.

2. For plugging the clean-out and the outlet of sewer traps at oppositesides of the inlet, where the clean-out is smaller than the outlet, aplug adapted to fit the said outlet, a plug adapted to close theclean-out by a movement toward the said outlet, and means connecting thesaid plugs together, said connecting means being adjustable whereby thelarger plug may move to uncover the outlet at the bend in the trap.

3. In a plug for closing the outlet of a trap having a clean-out smallerthan the said outlet, a support, a sectional washer of larger diameterthan the clean-out adapted to be carried by the said support, and afoldable packing ring adapted to be sup ported by said washer andadapted to the said outlet.

1. In a plug for closing the clean-out and the outlet of a trap havingan inlet between the same, the clean-out being smaller than the outlet,a packing support in the outlet, a rod connected to the support andextending through the clean-out, a toldable annular packing for theoutlet slidable on the rod, a valve slidable on the rod and adapted toclose the clean-out by an inward movement, and releasable means forpreventing the valve andthe packing-ring support from movement, one awayfrom the other.

In a plug for closing the clean-out and the outlet of a trap having aninlet between the same, the clean-out being smaller than the outlet, apacking to close the outlet, a support for the same, a notched rodconnected to the support and extending through the cleanout, a valveslidable on the rod and adapted to close the clean-out, and a slottedlock cooperating with the said notches for preventing the valve and thepacking-ring support from movement, one away from the other.

6. In a plug for closing the clean-out and the outlet of a trap havingan inlet between the same, the clean-out being smaller than the-outlet,a packing to close the outlet, a support for the same, a rod connectedto the support and extending through the cleanout, a valve slidable onthe rod and adapted to close the clean-out, releasable means forpreventing the valve and the packing-ring support from movement, oneaway from the other, and a stop to limit the movement of the rod whenthe releasable means is made inoperative.

7 For use with a casing having an inlet between a pair of openings, oneof the latter being the outlet and larger than the other, a pair ofconnected plugs for the said pair of openings, the plug for the largeropening being foldable whereby it may be passed through the smalleropening and then expanded to close the larger opening.

8. For use with a casing having an inlet between an outlet and a smalleropening, an outlet valve normally too large to be inserted through thelatter opening but foldable so as to be insertible therethrough, a valveto close said latter opening, and a connection between said valves.

9. For use with a casing having an inlet between an outlet and a smalleropening, an outlet valve normally too large to be inserted through thelatter opening but collapsible so as to be insertible therethrough, avalve to close said latter opening, and a connection between saidvalves, said outlet valve being constructed to be automatically expandedby the pressure of fluid in connection with the inlet so as to close thesaid outlet.

10. For use with a casing having an inlet between an outlet and asmaller opening, an outlet valve normally too large to be insertedthrough the latter opening but collapsible so as to be insertibletherethrough, a valve to close said latter opening, and a connectionbetween said valves, the difi'erential of pressure on the two valvesholding the smaller valve on its seat.

Signed at Pittsburg, Pa., this th day of September, 1908.

JOHN F. OHRISTY.

Witnesses SUZANNE S. BEATTY, ELVA STANIEK.

